CLASS 7A PLAYOFFS

7A football | Lake Zurich puts the brakes on St. Rita's Akui

November 20, 2010|By Bob Hurst | Special to the Tribune

To stop St. Rita's offense, opponents have to stop Jahwon Akui, the Mustangs' stellar running back.

Lake Zurich did just that in Saturday night's 21-0 win over St. Rita in a Class 7A semifinal. The Bears made enough key stops when Akui was handed the ball that it gummed up St. Rita's offense. Their big defensive plays pushed them into the 7A final against Wheaton Warrenville South next Saturday in Champaign.

"We played a great game," junior linebacker Taylor Coleman said. "We schemed all week. This is a great offense; Akui's a great player. We played a better game."

Akui's longest run was 17 yards, in the third quarter. He finished with 81 yards on 24 carries.

Coleman got to Akui twice in the second half after Lake Zurich went up 14-0, including a third-quarter tackle for a 3-yard loss after the Mustangs reached the Bears' 12. Teammate Grant Soucy then broke up a potential Lake Zurich touchdown pass on fourth down.

Defensive back Mike Shield, who forced a fumble and had an interception in the second half, dropped Akui for a 2-yard loss when the Mustangs threatened on a third-and-2 from Lake Zurich's 15 in the second quarter. That drive ended in a missed 35-yard field-goal attempt.

"Gap control defense," Shield said of putting the brakes on Akui. "You get rid of the cutback lanes, there's nowhere to go."

St. Rita coach Todd Kuska credited the Bears defense.

"They just ran to the ball well," Kuska said. "They got to the ball well, and they were good tacklers. They didn't let us get away.